CHAPTER 28

I couldn't focus on my work, and I was thinking about what Zion said earlier. My face was frowning in front of the customers. Dave was looking at me, tilting his head, wondering why I was in a foul mood.

"Hmmp! Why is he going to meet Jessica? Will they talk about their engagement again? Whatever, do what you want. I don't care about you anymore, Zion! " I mumbled. I shook my head to stop thinking about Zion and Jessica!

"Rie!" It startled me when Clint called my name.

"Rie, you were frowning. Please smile at the customers. What if the manager saw you in your state? You make a lot of mistakes with orders now. Are you OK? Did something happen to you today?" Clint asked.

"I'm sorry Clint. I will focus from now on." Clint nodded and said, "OK, just tell me if anything is bothering you. I will stand on the counter for you to pull yourself together first."

"Thank you, Clint. But I am really OK. I will focus now. I'm sorry for worrying me."

"OK, let's get back to work." I nodded and started working again.

At the same time, Zion meets Jessica.

"Jessica, where's the bracelet?" Zion furiously asked Jessica.

"Relax Zion. Don't be in a hurry. I will return it to you. But before that, you need to agree to date me for three days." Jessica stated.

"Why should I date you? I can buy another thousand bracelets for Arien with the same engraving."

"That's very sad on my side. I was only asking for a three-day date with you, but you rejected it."

"No matter what trick you do to me, I will never agree to date you." Zion asserted, and Jessica was enraged.

"Really Zion? What if I do this trick on you Zion?" Jessica showed her cellphone to Zion, and it stunned him. Zion became silent and didn't talk back to Jessica.

"Oh my, but the conditions have changed now, Zion. Instead of three days, you must date me for a week or else I can't guarantee you what I will do next. And I command you to show all the students at the university that we are a loving couple. Do you agree now, Zion?" Jessica smirked and told Zion that she was hungry. Zion follows Jessica's words.

Hours passed by and we were ready to go home. I spotted Dave outside the shop.

"Dave, did you wait for me?"

"Yes! And I am starving here from waiting for so long."

"But I didn't tell you to wait for me."

"Yes! I just want to make my beautiful friend happy after being in a foul mood earlier." Dave's words touched me, and I smiled at him.

"It's really nice to have a very handsome, very kind, very sweet, and very loving friend like you. Thank you, Dave." I giggled and winked at him.

"Ok! OK! Stop giving me too many compliments. Let's go out for dinner. Hahaha!"

Before we went for dinner, I changed my scooter first to a motorcycle. Dave and I raced to the restaurant.

"You're doing great now, Arien. You're already catching me in line in our race."

"Of course, my master was a very excellent person! Hahaha!"

"OK, you never stop complementing me until you get a good meal. Huh? Hahaha!"

"Dave, stop saying that people will think that I am greedy for food." I pouted my lips at him.

"Hey! Stop doing that or I'm going to kiss you!" Dave patted my head and messed up my hair. I chased Dave running inside the restaurant.

Jessica saw us teasing each other.

"Zion, who was that girl together with Dave?" Jessica asked. Zion turned around and looked at us entering the restaurant.

"She's Rie, one of Dave's rider." Zion answered.

"It looks like they have a special relationship with each other. Not bad! She's beautiful compared to Arien. I think Dave was tired of pleasing Arien's ugly face." Jessica stated.

Zion thinks it would be more in his favor if Dave would pour all his attention on Rie, so that he would have no rival to Arien. However, Zion frowned when he heard what Jessica had said.

"Can you please stop mentioning people who aren't here? And please hurry with your food so we can go home." Zion reprimanded her.

When the server escorted us to our table, I was astonished to see Zion was eating dinner with Jessica beside our table.

"What a coincidence, Dave." Jessica exclaimed. Dave was stunned, too. He didn't expect to meet Jessica and Zion at the restaurant.

Dave took a glance at me to see how I would react when we caught Zion and Jessica eating dinner together.

"Dave, let's join our table. And introduce me to your girlfriend. I'm sure Zion won't go against my idea. Right, Zion?" Jessica suggested.

Dave was worried, and he looked at me. I nodded to Dave to let him know I agreed, and he whispered to me, "Are you sure about this, Arien?" Dave asked.

"Yes! I am Rie now. And I am a different person in their sight." I answered.

"OK, if you don't feel comfortable later, just tell me." Dave said.

When Dave and I agreed with each other, we sat at their table.

Dave introduced me to Jessica.

"Rie, which university are you studying at?" Jessica asked.

"Art and Science College." I answered.

While Jessica was questioning me, Zion kept his silence and was only listening to us. He thought that my voice was very familiar to him.

"Let's be friends, Rie. Let's hang out next time. I forgot to mention to you that Zion was my fiancee, and we were getting engaged soon. I will invite you to the party. Anyway, we can have a double date every weekend. Right, Dave?" Jessica never stopped blabbering on. Dave didn't give an answer to Jessica.

Dave And I wondered why Zion didn't oppose Jessica when she was talking about the engagement.

My heart ached as if it had been crushed, and I was about to burst into tears when Zion didn't react to the engagement. I stood up from the table and excused myself immediately to go into the restroom.

"What happened to her, Dave? Why was she suddenly running away?" Jessica asked.

Dave followed me right away.

Zion was thinking about what had happened to me.

"She had the same reaction as if she was going to cry this afternoon and then now. And she wasn't fighting with Dave. No way! Don't tell me Rie likes me?" Zion was mumbling and was shocked by his thought.

"I felt sorry for her. Because I have Arien in my heart now. I wish she could find happiness with Dave." Zion continued to mumble.

Zion stood up and told Jessica to follow and check on us because he was worried.

Meanwhile, I let out all the lingering pain I felt when I got to the restroom. I cried silently and covered my mouth while caressing my chest to ease the pain I felt.

Dave was calling me from the outside of the restroom. I wiped my tears and washed my face. When Dave saw me, without a thought, he hugged me and whispered, "It's OK, Arien, cry as long as you want until you feel better. From now on, use my shoulder to cry if you can't endure all the pain in your heart." Dave gently caressed my back, and I burst into years again.

Zion saw us hugging outside the restroom. He was stupefied and clenched his fist. He was confused about why he felt jealous when he saw Dave and me hugging each other.